For almost 700 years, Helmond Castle (Kasteel Helmond), the largest moated castle in the Netherlands, has stood in the heart of the city. The city castle changed its function over the centuries, as did its castle garden. At one time, the land around the castle mainly served as an agricultural country house and vegetable garden. Later it became an ornamental garden for the rich and noble castle residents. For more than 100 years it has been a city park, open to everyone. The exhibition was made possible in part by the Mondriaan Fonds, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds and Vlisco.

The castle garden as an ornamental garden

Life-size flower still lifes

In the exhibition we ‘frame’ the rich past of the castle and the garden with the contemporary work of visual artist Linda Nieuwstad. Her life-size flower still lifes, based on historical flower portraits from the seventeenth century, are often made from residual materials such as truck tarpaulin and woolen blankets. Linda Nieuwstad’s work has an imposing character, but is often about transience and vulnerability.

Linda Nieuwstad stands at her work Koolroos. Photo: Etienne Oldeman

Working with residents

As a nod to the flowers that used to bloom around the castle, Linda Nieuwstad creates a new flower still life from Vlisco fabrics, famous for the colorful Dutch Wax Prints that are loved in West Africa. Linda does this in collaboration with residents of Helmond. The result comes to fruition in various phases during the exhibition.